IT Needs More Female Role Models
Young women need more technology mentors and role models if the UK is to attract women to tech jobs, says BlackBerry's creators, RIM.
Research for RIM found that 73 per cent of girls aged 11 to 16 believe the UK lacks women role models in the tech sector. While 90 per cent thought technology was "cool", only 28 per cent had considered a career in technology.
"It is important to create and celebrate female role models within the technology industry and give young women who are choosing their career paths access to their inspirational stories," according to Charmaine Eggberry, the vice-president EMEA and managing director of RIM.
She called on the women gathered for the BlackBerry Women in Technology awards to step up: "Imagine what an impact it would make if every woman in this room mentored just one person," she said, hinting that RIM may be creating a mentoring programme for women in technology.
According to the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, the proportion of women in science, engineering and technology -- SET -- declines at each career stage from GCSEs through to jobs. Less than one in five SET employees is female, according to 2006 figures -- women account for just 5.4 per cent of engineers, 14.6 per cent of ICT professionals and 23 per cent of IT service professionals in the UK. In non-SET jobs, conversely, they make up 54 per cent.
Technology is a particularly male-dominated industry, says Asmat Monaghan, founder of Humraz auction site and a tech industry veteran whose only role model was Dame Stephanie Shirley of Xansa -- who famously called herself Steve to secure meetings when she was starting out in the 1960s. Long hours are common and many women, she believes, are simply unwilling to make the sacrifices that will take them to senior levels in tech companies.
Another issue is finding mentors. MentorSET is a free matching service for female mentors and proteges in SET. Microsoft-run Evetechs is developing an online community with mentoring as part of the offering.
Social network London Girl Geek Dinners sprung up as a less testosterone-driven alternative to Geek Dinners, and the winner of the under-30 gong at the RIM awards, Lisa Ditlefsen, founded SEO Chicks for women in the search-marketing industry.
It's this age group that's most needed as role models, reckons Maggie Berry, director of the Women in Technology website. Humraz's Monaghan encourages executive women to visit schools to offer girls some guidance as to what to expect in the workplace, whatever the sector.
She advocates coaching as well as mentoring. "Mentorship may only give you the end product. Coaching helps with the 'how' and takes you through scenarios and how to analyse situations and apply solutions."
Adds Berry: "Sometimes the same role models come up again and again just because they are successful. Women may need different role models and mentors for different stages of their career. A role model doesn't necessarily have to be a high flier. It may sometimes be someone just a few levels above you, who can inspire you to do well in your job."